Over the weekend, more than 300 delegates from SACP branches met in Johannesburg in an SACP Policy Conference to consider the resolution of the 12th National Congress on the relationship of the SACP and State Power. The conference considered various conjectural issues confronting the SACP and the country in assessing the balance of forces in our struggle to deepen democracy and build a socialist South Africa.
Delegates concluded the discussions at the policy conference united in a clarion call that the time has come to turn the page.
For many months the ANC-led alliance has been forced into a pre-occupation with internal divisions, a long-drawn out judicial processes involving, amongst other things, the persecution of the ANC president, and with widening divisions between the ruling party and some of its deployed cadre in the senior ranks of government.
With the historic events and necessary correctional measures of the last two weeks, it is now possible and necessary to turn the page.
The recall of a president by the ruling party that nominated him into that position is a common enough occurrence in many democracies. Here in South Africa the sky has not fallen in. There is no crisis in our country.
The time has come to turn the page.
As the SACP, as the Alliance, as South Africans in general must now devote undivided attention to the huge challenges confronting the majority of South Africans - the scourge of unemployment, a criminal justice system that is failing the citizens of our country, especially the workers and the poor, gross inequality, soaring food prices and transport costs; a health care system in which the great majority of resources continues to service a small minority; an education system that requires major overhaul; and land hunger and landlessness and a devastated rural hinterland.
It is these and other challenges that must now enjoy our undivided attention.
As we approach the 15-year mark since the democratic breakthrough, the time has come for a major process of policy review and renewal.
In carrying forward this policy process we need continuity and we need change. Those who believe that there can be no changes in economic and other policies are living in a fool's paradise. Even in the heartlands of developed capitalism there are frantic interventions that make a mockery of long-held orthodoxies - not least in regard to the laisser-faire approach to financial markets.
Here in South Africa, well-considered policy changes are imperative. It is possible here to speak of the need for both continuity and change. Continuity because notwithstanding many mistakes and missed opportunities since 1994, there have also been some important advances. It is also possible to speak of some policy continuity, because, in fact, over the last several years there have been the beginnings of policy review in government - including the halting of whole-sale privatisation, and the launching of major state-led infrastructural programme.
But it is also essential that we also introduce much needed policy change.
This SACP National Policy Conference has focused largely on the question of the party and state power.
Noting important developments since the ANC's 52nd National Conference, commissions agreed on the SACP's principled commitment to participate fully and energetically in the forthcoming 2009 elections within a re-configured alliance.
The Party will throw its full weight into the ANC-led alliance election campaign to ensure an overwhelming victory with an increased majority.
The prospects for such a victory will be, and must be enhanced by a reconfigured alliance, which must involve amongst other things:
- The forging of the alliance as the strategic political centre of the national democratic revolution;
- The establishment of an Alliance Political Council, consisting of the Alliance national officials to oversee broad political issues, including policies, popular mobilization, governance challenges and deployments;
- The establishment of Alliance deployment committees at all levels, from the national to local levels.
Informed by the resolutions of this National Policy Conference and other formal resolutions of the Party, the SACP is and will continue to engage actively with the Election Manifesto compilation.
Conference gave its full support for the imperative of an increased visibility of communists on the final lists. Communist visibility must also be present within the sectoral components of lists - e.g. Youth and women.
In addition to mandating the SACP leadership to engage our alliance partners on these matters, the Policy Conference also endorses the principle that in all legislatures there should be a delegated contingent of elected representatives who, on appropriate occasions, speak directly for the SACP so that the ANC in legislatures presents itself as an alliance, and so that working class interests are given an undiluted articulation in our legislatures.
Through the SACP Deployment and Accountability Committee, the SACP must develop mechanisms for the SACP deployees in all spheres to be accountable to the SACP. For that to be effective it should be buttressed by clearly articulated policies and support to deployees.
The Commission on the SACP and State Power must continue in existence, and must report on a regular basis to the CC and Party structures. Amongst other things, the Commission must help the Party monitor the South African electoral terrain from a working class perspective, and timeously assist the SACP to develop its strategic approach to future elections, including the 2011 local government elections.
To ensure that a reconstituted Alliance is capable of playing its role as the strategic political centre of the NDR, it is imperative to consolidate a collective Alliance policy capacity.
Statement issued by the SACP September 28 2008
